Secret Woodlands rise

Her previous attack had ended up with a mouthful of shoulder blade which she had eagerly bitten into until she could taste blood before she backed off. It hadn't taken long but the larger woman with her defenses set narrowed her eyes as her opponent lunged forth, trying to get more shoulder blade while trying to knock Ashanti off balance. That was what Asha loved about lowering her center of gravity, it made her harder to knock over. She dug her feet into the ground as she lowered her head. As Kite rushed closer and closer, Ashanti would take her head and give it an uppercut like action to try and throw Kite off towards the side a bit if not to knock her completely off her feet.

The thoughts, reminders, kept rushing through Ashanti's head as she remembered a little bit more. Nina at the borders, cooing her to come back within the territory but in her memory, she (Ashanti) looked so broken. Ashanti instantly knew what the moment was from and that only cause her eyes to water slightly though she tried not to show it because the opponent, the enemy for all intents and purposes, might mistake it as something else. Her teeth clenched and her tongue rolled along the back of her yellowed canines. She took a deep breathe as she prepared herself for whatever Kite had to throw at her, a devious smile caught on her muzzle. She had to win this, and if she didn't, Kite could bet another challenge the very next day because Ashanti knew she would find her place only the rank below Nina herself.

Kite and Ashanti were never too far from one another. Kite, first off, did not want to give Ashanti the advantage of momentum even though she could likely dart out of the way and exhaust her. Kite's own momentum was simply from her body weight, but it was sufficient enough to cause pain. Kite did not flinch as Ashanti hit, but snarled loudly. She hoped to ward the woman away from biting, and Kite only hoped her moves had done just that. Kite took a step back, facing Ashanti directly, and Ashanti moved to throw her weight upward in her own direction. Kite lunged forward, knowing that with this move being done her own counter could not be used against her. Throwing her weight with as much force as she could muster, she felt the impact of Ashanti's broad head hit her lower chest. It nearly did have the desired effect, and the move itself would work in Ashanti's favor. Her next attack was to go for the exposed throat and shoulder to now draw blood herself. Kite perhaps would have clung had Ashanti not knocked the wind out of her, but she could not. Kite was whippish in her movement, lashing forward in a flash to attempt to bite roughly --though not hard enough to bring any skin with her--at that location before retreating backward, this time putting minimal distance between them so she could continue to assess the woman's movements. If Ashanti moved, Kite would follow. Kite Tainn would not give the woman any real legroom if it could be helped.

She could practically feel the wind leaving Kite's body that that made her grin. She wasn't going to let this woman steal her rank when Ashanti herself was trying to climb to the top so she might be underneath Nina and Miccah once more. She, at this point, had taken to calling two different versions of herself by two different names and this was certainly Ashanti fighting, not the timid Celestina she had been back in Ipsum Falls. The woman had managed a quick bite to Ashanti's shoulder though the force of Ashanti's blow seemed to prevent it from further affecting her. There was a slight wince of pain and Ashanti realized they both might need healing help after this. She could handle herself but Kite, who would Kite choose to go to? There were three of them... Nina, Aideen, and herself.

She could feel blood slowly flowing from the shoulder bite. Kite had not brought any skin with her but she had certainly made it bleed. Quickly Ashanti assessed the wound and gave it a quick lick. It could wait until after the fight and it was nothing that Ashanti needed to heal immediately which meant it certainly wasn't something to give in over. She rushed towards the girl directly. She aimed to grab ahold of Kite's muzzle to force her down onto the ground. Then, hopefully, she would convince the girl that submitting to the white phantom was the best option. She reminded herself that she could do this. She could win.

They were close. Kite could not yet feel the pain in her shoulder, but she could feel tired. There was no doubting Ashanti's experience. Kite had to respect that. But she would not give up until the last, until she had no more to give. Tasting the blood of her packmate gave her no pleasure at all, but she bore it. Ashanti lurched forward to grab her muzzle. Kite lurched forward to open her own jowls, though directed her face out of Ashanti's range. This time, Ashanti would grab the shoulder she had not gotten a taste of, and in the meantime Kite went for much the same thing she had moments ago while Ashanti moved. Kite moved to bite the tender, exposed flesh between throat and shoulder, knowing the area was sensitive and vulnerable in Ashanti's extension. Kite snapped roughly, but again did not seek to cling and tear, just to bite and bruise. Even before she had not intended to break skin, but she had gotten ahead of herself. Kite threw her body weight away from the woman after, removing herself entirely from the pale woman, and caught her breath for an instant. Now they were parallel, and Kite's rear-end was near Ashanti as Ashanti's rear-end was near her. Kite waited, a low snarl ebbing in her throat, lashing her tail in a predatory fashion, knowing it was the others move. Kite was sore, but would never give in, never give up. Even if Ashanti won this day, Kite would ascend eventually. But she did not think like this, really. Kite fought to win.

Kite was stubborn and that was something Asha herself could relate to and respect. There was a cling to her neck but Ashanti pulled away fast from the shoulder so the wound had not even punctured just like Kite had aimed for. It would bruise though and Ashanti would have one hell of a time putting away the hard to reach herbs in her den. She hissed slightly before lunging at the woman for another attempt to push her to the ground. She was so sick of the fighting but she wasn't going to give in. She was fighting for her rank as she was entitled to do. She did not know who Kite was or how she was involved with Mirren or Nina at the time.

All she knew is a wolf was challenging her and Ashanti didn't have enough proof she deserved it yet. Kite was a scout so that posed a question for her. Scouts were often away from the pack for long periods of time so why challenge for a higher rank. What if this wolf challenged for second or something and then something happened to Nina and she was far off in distant lands on a scouting mission? What would happen then? So many questions filled her but she understood. Kite wanted to be a higher rank, she didn't want to be the second lowest female in the pack anymore. The issue was is that Ashanti didn't want to be there either and while dominance mattered most with the leader rank and second rank, it still mattered a bit to the lower ranks.

Kite had ambitions. She had hopes, and she had dreams. True, they had only recently been realized. But she would follow them. Her time as a Scout would give her any and every ability that she needed to become a leader. Kite would be the one to know things that her leader should know (and, thanks to her, would). She would keep pack relations stable. She would protect the pack within, and outside. Kite's wingspan was massive. Perhaps she would not be a leader soon, but she would learn how to be one in her time as a scout. It was part of the reason she had become one. Most of her time was here, regardless, unless she needed to travel for Nina.

Personal matters meant nothing. Kite knew very little of the woman before her, though she intended for that to change, too. Kite knew that no matter what the outcome of this fight was, she did not want there to be bad blood between them. Ashanti went for another push, and although the tired Kite did stumble this time at the impact, she leaned her weight forward and moved to grab Ashanti's jaws in a muzzle-grab. It was nearest to her as she swung her hips around to regain balance, and so it was the natural thing to go for. Kite would fight until the last, giving it her very all. It was the most she could do for Ashanti; it would not be said that Kite did not fight without gusto. Her heart was in it.

Note, permission to PP muzzle grab given by Steph <3

Ashanti wasn't going to give in without a fight but this other woman seemed to show determination that Ashanti had never seen the likes of before this very fight. Needless to say she might have been slightly impressed. The woman had went for a muzzle grab against the white phantom of a woman. Ashanti had been putting the woman through a test to see how she reacted in various situations. She had been looking to see if the woman deserved it and Ashanti had to admit that she did. With the recovery that marked the instincts of the other woman, Ashanti would move in for the final attack. The muzzle grab had scraped her muzzle but not enough to draw blood as she backed off. Her eyes would narrow.

She knew that with her vulnerability that was her memory loss she was unfit for a higher position against the will of her really wanting it. Ashanti would lunge forth to grab her opponent's muzzle to end the fight with her tail curled high about her back. Her eyes would narrow as she would release Kite and stand triumphantly. "I've won the battle Kite, but not the war and you truly are an amazing fighter." She would start as she looked to her. "I'm mentally unfit for the higher ranks at this time so I will allow you to stand above me but should you mess up, make one little mistake, I will put you back in your place. Do you understand me?" She would ask with a certain commanding tone. "Now, I reckon we could both be patched up. Why don't you come with me? I've got all the necessary herbs back in my den." She said as she walked off towards the den she had been residing in for a while. Her wounds stung but not without the pride of winning the fight.

-Ashanti Exit-